The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-31

pulled the trigger; the While fame
leaped, and smart report followed.
Listen nowi" / said.
I held the oar steady, and the boat
swain ceased to dance the lantern. For
the first few seconds | heard nothing,
then myea caughtthe throbbing sound.
al see herr cried the boatsw ain;
and, following his finger (my sight be-
ing keener than my hearing. / saw
not only the shadow of a vessel down
in the southwest, but the smoke from
her funnel pouring along the stars.
MARY" / cried, fire againl'
She drew the trigger.
Again.
The clear report whizzed like bull
let past my ears.
simultaneously with the second re-
port ball of blue hre shot up into the
sky. Another followed. and another.
A moment after red light shone
clear upon the sea.
'.She sees usi' / cried. "God be
praised! Mary, darling, she sees usi''
| waved the lamp furiously. But
there was no need to wave it any
longer. The red light drew nearer and
nearer; the throbbing of the engines
louder and louder, and the revolutions
of the propeller sounded like pulse
beating through the water.
The shadow broadened and doomed
larger | conld hear the water spout
ing out of her side and the blowing-off
of the satety-valve.
Soon the vessel grew a defined shape
against the stars, and then voice,
thinned by the distance, shouted:
'.What light is that?'
l cried to the boatswain: answer,
for Gods sake! My voice is weak"
He followed his hands and roared
back: Were shipwreckcd seamen
adrift in a quarter-boat.'
Nearer and nearer came the shadow,
and now it was long, black hull, a
funnel pouring forth a dense volume
of smoke, spotted with tire-sparks, and
tapering masts and fragile rigging,
with the stars running through them.
Ease herr
The sounds of the thrObbing grew
more measured. We could hear the
water rs it was churned up by the screw.
Stop herr
The sounds ceased. and the vessel
came looming up slowly, until she
stopped.
What is that?-a boat?' exclaimed
a strong bass voice.
Yes" answered the boatswain.
''We've been shipwrecked; we're adrlft
in a quarter-boat
Can you bring her along-side?"
"Aye, aye, sir!'
threw out An oar, but trembled so
DO to work it. We headed the boat
for the steamer and rowed toward her.
As we approached l perceived that she
was very long, bark-rigged, and rak-
ing. manifestly a powerful, iron-built
ocean steamer They hung rel light
on the forestry and white light
over her port quarter, and lights fitted
about her gangway.
4 voice sung out: ''lIOw many are
there of youT'
The boatswan answered: Three
men and 3 lady"
On this the same voice called: "If
you want help to bring that boat along
side, We'll send to you"
We'll be alongside in lew min
utes, returned the boatswain.
But the fact was, the vessel had
stopped her engines when farther OFF
from US then we had imagined; being
deceived by the magnitude ofher loom
ing hull. which seemed to stand not a
hundred fathoms away from us. and
by the wonderful distinctnesS of the
voice that had spoken us.
did not know how feeble | had be-
come until L took the oar: and the vio-
lent emotions excited in me by our res
cue, now TO be effected after our long
and heavy trials, diminished still the
little strength there was left in me; so
that the boat moved very slowly
through the water, and it was full
twenty minutes, starting from the
time when we had shipped the oars,
before we came up with her.
Wen fling you 4 ropes end" said
voice; "loOk out for it.
A line fell into the boat. The boat-
swain caught it, and sung out: ''All
fast"
l looked up the high side of the
steamer; there was a crowd of men as
sembled round the gangway, their
faces visible in the light shed not only
by our own masthead lantern (Which
was on level with the steamers bui-
warks), but by other lanterns which
some of them held. IN all this light
we, the occupants of the boat, were
TO be clearly viewed from the deck:
and the voice that had first addressed
us said:
''Arc you strong enough to get up
the ladder? If not, Wen sling you on
board.
answered that if couple of hands
would come down into the boat so as to
help the lady and a man (who had |
fallen inbecile) over the ships side. the
other two would manage TO get on
board without assistance.
On this short gangway-laGdcr was |
lowered, and two men descended and |
got into the boat
Take that lady first" l said, point !
ing to Mary. but holding on. us spoke,
to the boats mast, for felt horribly !
sick and faint. and knew not, indeed. |
what was going to happen TO ME; and
| had 10 eXer. al my power 10 steady |
my voice.
They took her by the arms, and |
the moment when the wash
of the swell brought the boat against
the ships side, landed her clcvcrly on
the ladder and helped her ento the deck.
Bosom cried, huskiIy. 'she-she
is-saved! am dying, think. God
bless her! and - and your hand,
remembor utterinr those incober-
ent words, and seeing the boatswain
spring forward to catch me. Then my
senses left me with a flash.